A torn meniscus usually produces well-localized pain in the knee. The pain often is worse during twisting or squatting motions. Unless the torn meniscus has locked the knee, many people with a torn meniscus can walk, stand, sit, and sleep without pain.
In a typical moderate tear, you feel pain at the side or in the center of the knee, depending on where the tear is. Often, you are still able to walk. Swelling usually increases slowly over a few days and may make the knee feel stiff and limit bending. There is often sharp pain when you twist or squat.
Other meniscus tear symptoms include: Feeling like your knee might give out beneath you. Having knee pain or stiffness or a swollen knee. Being unable to fully bend or straighten your leg.
Common extra-articular pathologies that can mimic lateral meniscal tears include iliotibial band syndrome, proximal tibiofibular joint instability, snapping biceps femoris or popliteus tendons, and peroneal nerve compression syndrome or neuritis.
In addition to physical therapy, bracing is another conservative option sometimes tried after a meniscus tear. The goal of a knee brace is to protect it from further injury by providing stability and preventing you from overextending it beyond regular range of motion, and reducing the load on the meniscus.
Self-management. Avoiding twisting activities may decrease the symptoms from a torn meniscus. Additionally, one should do quadriceps setting exercises with the knee straight or mini-squats, bending only to 15 degrees, to prevent giving way and keep the quadriceps muscle from atrophying.
When you have a meniscus tear and arthritis, you tend you have swelling and pain from inflammation. Cold helps decrease swelling and inflammation. If heat feels better on your knee, however, there's no downside to using it.
Introducing mesenchymal stem cells into torn cartilage may stimulate the patient's own cells' regenerative properties, helping to repair injury, relieve pain, and promote healthy new cell growth. Don't allow a torn meniscus to degenerate your knee stability and range of movement or develop into osteoarthritis.
Corticosteroid Injections
Although corticosteroids injected directly into the knee do not heal a meniscus tear, they may reduce swelling and discomfort. Some people may experience long-lasting relief. Your doctor may inject a small amount of anesthetic into the knee along with corticosteroids.
After about 6-8 weeks of recovery time (using and conservative treatments like physical therapy, most people are able to walk and be active with a torn meniscus.
A torn meniscus often can be identified during a physical exam. Your doctor might move your knee and leg into different positions, watch you walk, and ask you to squat to help pinpoint the cause of your signs and symptoms.
Recovery Timeline: What to Expect
Recovery time for a torn meniscus varies depending on the severity of the tear and the patient's age, health, and activity level. On average, non-surgical treatment for a meniscus tear typically takes 6-8 weeks.
When a meniscus is torn, a pop may be felt within the knee; significant pain in the knee joint is typical. The knee usually swells within a few hours, and the patient often develops a limp. The pain in the knee often increases when the knee is fully bent or fully straightened.
Pain is usually felt in the knee above the meniscus while bearing weight on the affected knee and/or when twisting, turning, or pivoting on the knee. This may occur while getting in and out of a car. Walking up or down stairs may be particularly painful and may also cause increased swelling in the knee.
Normally, braces are used to stabilize a joint. Since menisci are not crucial for knee stability, you might not need a brace to help your injury heal. However, if there is damage to the surrounding ligaments as well, a brace may be necessary because ligaments are important for joint stability.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) research studies report a 35% prevalence of degenerative meniscal tears in people over 50 years of age. Most of these meniscal tears are asymptomatic (meaning that the person has no pain or symptoms) and prevalence is similar in those with and without knee pain (20% versus 25%).
Symptoms of a meniscus tear may be different for each person, but some of the most common symptoms are: Pain in the knee joint: usually on the inside (medial), outside (lateral) or back of the knee. Swelling. Catching or locking of the knee joint.
What does a torn meniscus look like on the outside? It may be difficult to notice a significant difference in your knee with a torn meniscus just by looking at it. There may be swelling on either side of the knee.
When you are dealing with a torn meniscus, stretching plays a huge role in rehabilitation - whether you undergo surgery or not. This is especially true if you are immobilizing your knee after surgery with a cast, brace or by using crutches.
Hinged Knee Braces
Hinged knee braces are equipped with metal hinges that offer enhanced stability to the knee. These braces are valuable for meniscus tears as they provide controlled movement and prevent excessive rotation, flexion, or extension that could strain the injured meniscus.